Universal joint



Nov. 4 1924- F. H. STA NWOOD UNIVERSAL JOINT' Filed April so 1923 2Sheets-Sheet 1 [NVE TOR W 1924,- 1,514,181 Nov 4 F H. QTANWGD UNI VERSALJOiNT Fil p il 30 1921 2 Sheets-Shes. 4

A TTOR/VE V Patented Nov. 4, 1924.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK H. STANWOOD, 0F wimvinr'rn, ILLINOIS, nssrenon T0 srANwoonEQUIPMENT COMPANY, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS; A CORPORATION or MAINE.

UNIVERSAL JOINT.

Application filed April 30, 1921.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK H. SrANwoon, a citizen of the United States,residing in \Vilmette, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented a new and useful Improvement in Universal Joints, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates in general to universal joints and has moreparticular reference to universal joints of the character employed inautomobile transmissions and the like, although it will be manifest asit is better understood that it has valuable use in other connections,particularly where the angularity of the connected shafts is relativelyslight.

The invention contemplates the provision of a flexible annulus or diskto which the adjacent ends of the shafts to be connected may be securedat intervals about the periphery, the disk itself transmitting the powerand its flexing permitting the angularity. I am aware that effort hasbeen made in the past to provide this construction by superimposinglayers of woven cloth, one upon the other, and embedding said layers ina rubber body. Thus constructed the threads of the woven material extendin straight lines within the fabric and the stretching of the materialsunder suddenly applied loads tends to fracture them.

My present invention contemplates, as a principal object, the provisionwithin the plies, of threads, yarn or string so arranged as to properlytransmit the power from the one shaft to the other without danger ofbreaking the individual threads or fibres from the sudden application ofpower.

My invention has for a principal object also the provision of astructure of this character wherein the threads of each ply will be onecontinuous thread member and without more than two free ends, wherebydistribution of strain is insured as contradistinguished from atendencyto pull the fibre body away from the threads in the stretch- 111g.

Numerous other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparentas it is better understood from the following description, which, takenin connection with the accompanying drawings, discloses a preferredembodiment thereof.

Serial No. 465,815.

Referring to the drawings,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of an automobile universal joint embodyingmy invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof;

Fig. 8 is a side elevation of a coupling or connecting disk or annulus,parts being broken away to show the knitted construction; and

Fig. 4 is a section taken substantially on the line H of Fig. 3.

For the purpose of illustrating my invention I have shown on the drawingtwo shafts 11 and .12 to be connected and adapted for relative angulararrangement. On the end of each shaft is provided a coupling 13 havingthree spider arms 14. Between these couplings I provide three disks 15in which my present invention is more particularly embodied. The arms14: of the two couplings are arranged in staggered relation and bolts 16are disposed through their ends and through suitable Openings 17 in thedisks l5, spacing members or washers 18 being provided. Except for theconstruction of the disks this arrangement is known in the art andparticular description will therefore be unnecessary.

Each disk or annulus 15 consists of a number of plies of knitted orcrocheted material, as indicated at 19 in Figs. 3 and l. These plies'areincorporated in or embedded in suitable vulcanizable material, asrubher, the whole forming in the complete structure a solid unitarymember.

The turning of the shafts when angularly arranged causes a fiexure backand forth perpendicularly to the disks as will be readily understood,and since the embedded plies of reinforcing material are knitted orcrocheted or otherwise formed of a single continuous thread or yarn, itwill be manifest that the sudden stretching of the material will merelyproduce a straightening out of the continuous curvature given thisthread, string or yarn, as can be readily appreciated upon viewing Fig.3.

It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantageswill be understood from the foregoing description, and it will beapparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction andarrangement of the parts without departing I p from the spirit and scopeof the invention ted strands passing around and interlocking 0rsacrificing all of its material advantages, one With another andembedded within a the form hereinbefore described being merevulcanizedperforated body, whereby the 10 1y a preferred embodiment thereof. loopsof said strands are adapted to resist 5 I claim: and compensate forstrains applied to the A flexible ring for joints of the universalperforations in said body. type, comprising a plurality of plies ofknit- FRANK H. STANWOOD.

